First view: all-new Mercedes C-Class - In the cabin

In the UK, where the new C-Class goes on sale in June, the model line-up will be simplified to help buyers understand the different versions.

SE specification will be the major seller, aimed at fleet and business users; Elegance is set to be the traditional comfort/luxury model; Sport will combine luxury features in a more dynamic driving package. This is the version with the grille-mounted star and directly rivals the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

The new C-Class is longer and wider than the current car, with most of the increase being used for the benefit of passengers - front shoulder room is said to be 40mm greater, for instance.

The sporty theme on the outside is reflected in the control and instrument layout. Trim quality seems to have been markedly improved, too. The two-tone dash and console looks as though it has been carved from a solid block. Instrument faces are now all black with white markings, and the needles on the gauges glow orange.

The colour display panel in the centre of the dash folds away if you find it too much of a distraction, but anything linked to it, including the sat-nav system, continues to function. This control-and-display system has filtered down from the latest S-Class and allows the driver or front-seat passenger to operate hi-fi, sat-nav, phone and various other functions from a single rotary switch.

The driver also has steering wheel-mounted controls as in the present C-Class, with any dialled-up information displayed in the instrument cluster. Three-zone climate control is available, allowing the two front passengers and those in the rear to set their own air temperature.